1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to spare tire mounts on vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a spare tire mount mounted in a hitch receiver and holding the spare tire upright behind the tail gate of a pickup truck.
2. Description of Related Art
The problems associated with the removal and mounting of a spare tire to a spare tire mount located under a pickup truck bed. This requires bending over or crawling on the ground to remove the spare tire. Remounting is awkward and difficult. It is well known to mount a tire vertically behind a van or recreational vehicle where a rear door, if present, is swung open from the side. Such vertical mounts allow easy removal and mounting of the spare tire. A permanent mounting bracket is provided for this application. It would be desirable to provide a removable spare tire mount which is useful for carrying a spare tire behind a tail gate of a pickup truck without direct attachment of the mount to the tail gate. It would also be desirable to provide such a removable spare tire mount which allows the mounted spare tire to swing back to allow clearance for lowering the pickup tailgate without removal of the mount or the spare tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,285, issued Dec. 6, 1997, to Steelman, describes a spare tire rack pivotally mounted by a hinge on a telescopic hitch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,468, issued Nov. 20, 1984, to Lucas, describes a tire mount for vehicles, such as trucks, including a frame member formed to nest within a bumper. The tire mount includes a swing arm affixed to the frame by a pivot point.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,736, issued Sep. 26, 1967, to Sellers, describes a spare tire carrier comprising a base mounted on the bumper of a vehicle and a tubular body pivotally mounted on the base. The tubular body is mounted pivotally between vertical and horizontal positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,945, issued Dec. 4, 1984, to Ankemy, describes a spare tire carrier pivotally mounted on the bumper of a pickup which swings down with the opening of the tailgate of a pickup.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.